This is horrible. If absolutely ANYTHING positive can come from this, hopefully it will change a lot of people's thinking on environmental and energy issues. Maybe because it has hit America in our own yard? The Exxon Valdez was horrible, the Barrier Reef incident was horrible, but were they too far away to feel real to people?

I work at a research facility that is part of a (primarily engineering) university. I'm amazed at how often I hear pretty scientifically-oriented people at work talking about climate change not being real. Making statements about how humans just don't affect the planet that much. Okay - I'm no expert, and everyone has a right to their opinion. Maybe it isn't real. I, personally, do fully believe that climate change is real, and can see the possibilities whenever I look at a city, a pollution-belching factory, etc. How can we NOT be hurting things? One co-worker said to me "Humans are animals, too. We're part of nature." Do people not get it that we're doing things that no other creatures do, and these are things that do have an impact?

This oil well explosion is a terrible tragedy, and one with repercussions that I can't even imagine. I can't wrap my brain around 5000 barrels of oil per day. For months on end. Accidents happen, yes. Malfunctions happen, yes. But if we're going to strip the planet of all its resources, we'd better have some serious safeguards in place for when those accidents and malfunctions happen, so we don't destroy everything else in our path. There isn't any easy answer to the energy issue, but can't we at least try to do things right, rather than trying to get as rich as possible? Is there no concept of doing the right thing, because it's the right thing, and not only when it makes us the most profit?

Sorry for the rant. I'm upset.